Device for bringing together objects being delivered in two lines

ABSTRACT

A device for canalizing two lines of articles into one line including a stop arm for each line. The stop arms interact with each other through cam discs and a locking roller so that one arm is held in blocking position while the other is open.

United States Patent [191 Focke et a1.

[ Nov. 26, 1974 1 DEVICE FOR BRINGING TOGETHER OBJECTS BEING DELIVERED IN TWO LINES [75] Inventors: Heinz Focke; Oskar Balmer, both of Verden/Aller, Germany [73] Assignee: Foche & Pfuhl, Verden/Aller,

Germany [22] Filed: Mar. 28, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 345,821

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 8, 1972 Germany 2217075 [52] US. Cl. i. 198/32 [51] Int. Cl. B65g 47/26 [58] Field of Search 198/32, 79

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,852,034 4/1932 Twomley 198/32 2,371,419 3/1945 Bergmann 198/32 X Primary ExaminerRichard A. Schacher Assistant Examiner-Douglas D. Watts Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & Macpeak [57] ABSTRACT A device for canalizing two lines of articles into one line including a stop arm for each line. The stop arms interact with each other through cam discs and a locking roller so that one arm is held in blocking position while the other is open.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR BRINGING TOGETHER OBJECTS BEING DELIVERED IN TWO LINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a device for combining two lines of objects, more particularly containers being delivered at spaced intervals from each other or in groups, to form a single line.

2. Prior Art The invention is intended to be used primarily in the packing industry. In or rather on packing machines it is frequently necessary to bring together objects, for example containers being delivered in a plurality of lines on adjacent conveyor belts, to form a common line which can proceed on a single conveyor belt. The containers being conveyed may be delivered individually with a space between each of them, or otherwise they may be delivered individually or in groups without any spaces between the groups.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide a device with which a single line of containers can be formed from two lines by bringing these together in such a manner that no pressures or other disturbances can arise while the lines are coming together.

The device according to the invention is characterized by at least one barrier adapted to be moved into the path of movement of the lines. This barrier holds back the containers and only releases the containers in a particular line if there are none passing in the region of the other line.

The device according to the invention prevents pressures from arising through the collision of two containers from different lines. The passage for the containers in one line is only cleared if no containers are passing in the other line. Accordingly, another feature of the invention consists in that a barrier is provided for each line. The barrier is activated by the containers in the line in question. The reciprocal influencing of the barriers ensures that the barrier in the open position, allowing the passage of containers, always keeps the other barrier in the locked position.

Other features of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device according to the invention shown in its starting position.

FIG. 2 shows the device according to the invention during the passage of one line of containers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The embodiment shown in the drawings is used to bring together the containers a, 10b of a line 10 with the containers 11a, 11b of a second line 11. The two lines 10 and 11 of containers 10a, 10b and 11a, 11b preferably run parallel to each other with a small space between them. In the embodiment shown the conveyor tracks for the two lines 10 and 11 consist of a single conveyor belt 12. The conveyor tracks are laterally defined by vertical guide bars 13 and 14. A central guide bar 15 divides the two conveyor tracks for the two lines 10 and 11. The lateral guide bars 13 and 14 run together to form a single conveyor track for both lines 10 and 11. In the case of the embodiment represented, this common conveyor track is formed by bending the guide bar 14 in an appropriate manner.

A distributor device 16 which ensures that the containers in the two lines come together in an orderly manner, is arranged in the direction of movement before the region where the containers 10a, 10b of line 10 come together with containers 11a, 11b of line 11. In the embodiment represented, the distributor device 16, which is arranged, for example, on a transverse cross bar 17 above the conveyor belt 12, consists of two barriers 18 and 19, each associated with a line 10 and 11. Each barrier 18 or 19 consists of a blocking element, Le, a blocking arm 20 or 21 attached to a vertical axis of rotation 22 or 23. The axis of rotation renders the blocking arm pivotable. It may be moved from a position transverse to the direction of movement of the container to a position outside the path of movement of the containers (blocking arm 21 in FIG. 2). The barriers 18 and 19 are also provided with locking discs 24 and 25 arranged concentric to the axis of rotation 22 or 23 and adapted to be rotatable with the same. The locking discs 24 and 25 may be used for looking a blocking arm 20 or 21 in the locking position.

The locking arms are so arranged and dimensioned that in the starting position they project into the path of movement of the containers and by locking prevent the passage of the containers of at least one or the other of the lines 10 or 11. In the starting position (FIG. 1) both the locking arms 20 or 21 project into the particular conveyor track of lines 10 or 11 but do no lock together. This starting position is ensured by tension springs 26 and 27, which grip the barriers 18 and 19, more particularly the locking discs 24 and 25 and thus pull the barriers 18 and 19 and the blocking arms 20 and 21 back into the starting position according to FIG. 1.

The locking discs 24 and 25 are constructed in a special manner, i. e., as a partial circle provided with a cutaway section 28 and 29. The locking discs 24 and 25, which are arranged according to height with a small space between them, partially overlap each other in specific places. At one end of the sections 28 and 29 there is a recess (depression) 30 or 31 in the locking discs 24 and 25. A locking element in the form of a locking roller 32 is inserted into the recess 30 or 31. The locking roller 32 is mounted at the end of a swivel arm 33 which is fixed in a plane between the two barriers 18 and 19, but which is adapted to pivot.

In the starting position according to FIG. 1, the locking discs 24, 25, are held in a relative position in which the locking roller 32 can move alternately into the recess 30 or 31 of either locking disc 24 or 25. If containers are supplied in one line, for example the containers 11a, 11b in the region of line 11, the blocking arm 21 provided for line 1 1 will be acted on by the first container 11a and pivoted against the stressing of the tension spring 27, i.e., it will be moved away from the conveyor track of this container. At this point the locking disc 25 is also rotated. This rotation also causes the locking roller 32 to leave the recess 31 of the locking disc 25 and to be pressed into recess 30 of the adjacent locking disc 24. The remaining part of the cutaway sec tion 29 of the locking disc 25 is provided with a circular supporting edge 35 (the adjacent locking disc 24 is provided with a corresponding supporting edge 34). With the continued rotation of the locking disc 25, the locking roller 32 rolls down this circular supporting edge 35 and is held by the same in the locking position according to FIG. 2. In this way the adjacent locking disc 24 and thus the entire barrier 18 is prevented from rotating. If containers a, 10b are now delivered in line 10, they abut against the blocking arm which is held in the locking position and are thus prevented from proceeding. The containers 11a, 11b of line -11 are then able to proceed undisturbed to the common conveyor track formed by drawing together the guide bars 13 and 14. As soon as a sufficiently large gap is obtained between the successive containers in line 1 1, the barrier 19 is moved back into the starting position according to FIG. 1. As a result, the barrier 18 is unlocked and the containers 10a, 10b waiting by this barrier are able to proceed as the locking arm 20 is swivelled out of the path; the other barrier 19 being simultaneously locked in position.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for combining two lines of objects, more particularly containers, arranged spaced apart from each other or in groups to form a single line co'mprising:

a. blocking arms pivotable about axes perpendicular to the plane of said two lines, said axes located between said two lines and said blocking arms normally extending into the lines perpendicular to the direction of travel of the objects to prevent passage of said objects,

b. locking discs attached to said blocking arms so as to be pivotable therewith, said discs having a cam surface on at least a portion of their peripheries, and

c. movable locking means engaging said cam surfaces on said locking discs to prevent rotation of one locking disc and its associated blocking arm while allowing rotation of said other locking disc and blocking arm out of the path of travel of its corresponding line to allow' passage of said object thereby.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the axes of the blocking arms are located in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axes of the two lines.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the movable locking means is caused to lock one of said locking discs against rotation by rotation of the other locking disc.

4. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means is in the form of a locking roller arranged on a swivel arm and projects into a corresponding recess of the locking disc to the lock the same.

5. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that the cam surface on each of the locking discs is a generally circular arc and the recess is located at one end of said arc.

6. The device according to claim 4 wherein the locking roller is located intermediate the axes of rotation of the locking discs. 

1. A device for combining two lines of objects, more particularly containers, arranged spaced apart from each other or in groups to form a single line comprising: a. blocking arms pivotable about axes perpendicular to the plane of said two lines, said axes located between said two lines and said blocking arms normally extending into the lines perpendicular to the direction of travel of the objects to prevent passage of said objects, b. locking discs attached to said blocking arms so as to be pivotable therewith, said discs having a cam surface on at least a portion of their peripheries, and c. movable locking means engaging said cam surfaces on said locking discs to prevent rotation of one locking disc and its associated blocking arm while allowing rotation of said other locking disc and blocking arm out of the path of travel of its corresponding line to allow passage of said object thereby.
 2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the axes of the blocking arms are located in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axes of the two lines.
 3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the movable locking means is caused to lock one of said locking discs against rotation by rotation of the other locking disc.
 4. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means is in the form of a locking roller arranged on a swivel arm and projects into a corresponding recess of the locking disc to lock the same.
 5. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that the cam surface on each of the locking discs is a generally circular arc and the recess is located at one end of said arc.
 6. The device according to claim 4 wherein the locking roller is located intermediate the axes of rotation of the locking discs. 